The holiday season is a time for family, which often means that people take part in large gatherings including a lot of food and drinks. As the holidays get closer, it is important to understand the risks that holiday foods and décor can pose to your pet. We all want to have a happy, safe holiday season, and that includes our pets. I know I want to make sure that Rosie The Boy Cat, Morti, and Frank all stay healthy during the holidays. Here are some tips for keeping your pet safe over the holidays.
Food
Not all human food is appropriate for dogs and cats. It is important to know the foods that your pet can’t have so that you can make sure they are safe during all of your holiday festivities. Here are some of the foods that you shouldn’t let your pet eat:
- Bread dough
- Raisins or grapes
- Onions
- Chocolate
- Xylitol
- Cooked bones
- Dark meat turkey
- Fried foods
- Foods with a lot of butter
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Casseroles with a lot of fat
- Desserts containing chocolate or xylitol
- Anything with certain spices such as sage
- Alcohol
If you are having guests in your home for the holidays, talk to them about feeding your dog or cat. You can ask all your guests to refrain from feeding your pet to make sure that they aren’t given anything that they shouldn’t eat. By asking your guests to avoid giving your pet food, you can also know that they aren’t eating too much food, which could lead to stomach problems.
Make sure that you don’t leave food unattended within reach of your pets. Even though it is a busy time, you will want to clean up any dropped food or other spills right away to prevent your pet from getting into anything that is dangerous.
If you want to give your pet a special, human-food treat, consider giving them safe fruits or vegetables that are full of vitamins and minerals. Otherwise, it is probably best to stick to dog or cat treats. For the pet owners that really want to make sure that their pets are included in the holiday eating, check out some great homemade pet treats that you can make this holiday season.
Celebrations
The holiday season is full of gatherings and decorations that can cause problems for your cat or dog. Some animals get anxious during large parties and gatherings. Give these pets their own space. They should have a quiet room where they can enjoy being hidden away from guests. It might be a good idea to leave on soothing music to help drown out the noise in the rest of the home.
If you are letting your pets join in on the celebration, make sure that you are doing so safely. It is always a good idea to watch entrances to make sure that dogs and cats aren’t able to slip out. Explain security measures to your guests as well. Before the celebration, make sure your pet’s ID tags are up-to-date. Even better, you could get your pet micro chipped. During the festivities, make sure your pet is wearing a collar with the ID tags just in case they manage to get out of your home.
Many homes are decorated with all kinds of things for the holiday season. Many decorations can be dangerous and lead to injuries for our pets. Here are a few different types of decorations you should use with caution:
- Ornaments: Small ornaments are easily ingested by pets, and pets could choke on them. Small ornaments could also cause a blockage in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract. Broken glass ornaments could cause cuts both internally and externally.
- Wrapping Paper and Ribbons: While seemingly harmless, wrapping paper and ribbons can become entangled in your pet’s intestines, which could lead to life-threatening health problems.
- Tinsel and Garland: Both tinsel and garland are attractive to pets, and they are fairly easy for pets to ingest. Both items could cause internal blockages that require extensive medical treatment.
- Christmas Tree Water: Unfortunately, pets don’t know what water is dangerous, and the water used for your Christmas tree can contain chemicals that help preserve the life of the tree but are also very harmful to
- Potpourri: Since potpourri smells so good, many pets mistake it for food. Potpourri can contain oils that are very dangerous for pets, and the large chunks can lead to all kinds of problems.
- Candles: Candles with flames can burn your pet. Additionally, pets are known for knocking candles over and starting fires.
- Electrical Cords: When you hang lights, there are often cords that dangle. These cords can catch the attention of your pet, and they might decide to chew on dangerous electrical cords. Your pet could get a jolt of electricity or unintentionally start a fire.
Keep your pet safe and out of the emergency room this holiday season with our safety tips.
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